Insect electrocutor



Oct. 11, 1932. w. M. FROST 1,882,550

' I INSECTxELECTHOCUTOfi v Filed Jan.'1s,-1, 92a 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 gwmznioz I East Oct. 11, 1932. w, M. FRQST INSECT ELECTROGUTOR Filed Jan. 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwvantoa Patented Oct. 11, 1932 WILLIAM M. FROST, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON INSECT ELECTROCUTOR Application filed January 13, 1928. Serial No. 246,475.

My invention relates to insect electrocutors, and particularly to devices of this nature of'the screen type, comprising spaced electric conductors supported upon a frame, and exemplified in the device disclosed in Patent No. 974,785,.which was granted to me on November 8, 1910. My present invention is generally similar to the invention in my former patent, being essentially a wire screen particularly adapted for use in windows and doors, presenting the appearance of an ordinary screen, but capable of being charged with anelectric current and of electrocuting insects which come into contact with or 1n close proximity to its wires.

Insect electrocutors of this general screen type have heretofore been formed of alternate positive and negative electric wires or conductors so supported upon a frame that the wires of opposite polarity are insulated from each other.

In devices of this type the electric wires or other conductor elements may be arranged in various ways, but are preferably placed in spaced parallel relation, so positioned that a normally open circuit is completed through the wires by the body of an insect which comes into contact with or close to the wires.

By maintaining the wires tightly stretched, it is possible to use fine wire. This is especially advantageous where the screen is to be used in show windows, doors, transoms or the like, since the wires are not readily visible and the screen is thus substantially transparent. Moreover, the wires may be charged with a relatively heavy high tension current or static charge, so that insects will be electrocuted if they merely pass between adjacent wires without coming into actual contact with either of them.

To produce this result it is necessary that the wires of opposite polarity be securely held in spaced parallel relation, and that they be insulated from each other. It is preferable that all of the wires be in the same plane, or substantially so.

To these ends various means for supporting the wires of thescreen have heretofore been employed. One of the rincipal objects of my invention is to pro uce an insect electrocuting screen which willbe. effective in operation and pleasing in appearance.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a wire supporting frame for the screen of such configuration and construction as. may be easily and economically manufactured, will permit the wires to be read ily and quickly assembled in operative relation thereon, and will be capable of holding the wires securely in position in their assem bled relation.

The frame upon which the wires are supported may be of any desired shape and size and of any suitable material or materials. It is preferably formed of sections and comprises oppositely disposed wire-supporting strips or members between which the wires are stretched, and a holder preferably of wood or metal, within which the wire-supports are clamped or otherwise securely held in position, properly spaced from each other. The wire-supporting members, in my present invention, are composed of insulating material, and may be formedfrom sheet material or molded.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, in which like or frame proper,

numerals refer to like parts throughoutthe several views.

Figure 1 of the drawings is-a front elevational View of an assembled screen, constructed in accordance with my invention, and 5 showing the preferred form of wire-supporting members.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of one of the wire-supporting members shown in Figure 1, removed from the frame.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective View of a portion of a modified form of my invention.

Figure 5- is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a further modified form of wire-supporting member. v

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of another modified form of wire-supporting member. v

, a vertically.

Figures 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views taken on lines 77 and 8-8, respectively, in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view 5 taken on line 9-9 in Figure 6.

In its preferred embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 1, my present invention comprises a frame A embracing and holding in fixed position a pair of wire-supporting members B between wh'ich are stretched in spaced parallel'relation'wires 6 and ,7. The wires may be disposed either horizontally or vertically when the screen is in use. For convenience, the members upon which are provided the means for supporting the wires will be referred to as positioned in side sections of the frame, the sides andends of the frame being so designated without reference to whether they are positioned horizontally or The frame A is preferably formed of end sections 1, to which are riveted or otherwise securedside sections 2, so formed as to clamp and hold the wire-supporting members 18. These frame sections may be of wood, metal or composition; in the construction shown in Fig. 1, each side section 2 is made of sheet material, preferably metal, in channel form open at its inner side and provided with flanges 17 adapted to be forced to ether in clamping engagement with a reduced portion 8 of a wire-supporting member B inserted in the channel j The wire-supporting members B may be made or wood, fibre-board, or other suitable sheet material, or may be of rubber, pyroxylin, or other suitable insulating composition molded to shape. They may be made in the form of a single unitary strip 9 (as at the left 40 of Fig. 1 or a plurality of similar strip segtions 9 (as at the right of Fig. l).

in the resent embodiment of the invention these w re-supporting strips are provided with a plurality of heads or projections about which wire may be turned or looped, and by which a several lengths of wire may be held securely in. taut condition. These heads or pro ections may be positioned upon. either or both of the faces of the supporting strips, and may be formed by striking up earsor tongues from the sheet material or the strips, or by cutting and bending the material, or by cutting away, grooving, slotting, or indentmg predetermined portions of the strip, or

by molding the strip with projections, heads, ears, or tongues similar to those formed by any of the other methods.

In the preferred form of wire-supporting strip shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the strip is groovedlongitudinally on each side near one of its edges to form a rib 10 adapted to be inserted within a side section 2 of the irame, Lthe flanges 47 clamping down over the shoulders of the rib 10 and holding the strip 5 against outward movement, thus securing 1t nesaseo inposition to maintain the wires taut after they are once placed upon opposifwly disposed strips in stretched condition. I

Near its opposite edge the strip 9 is formed with a series of inclined longitudinal grooves, slots or depressions ll and a series of inclined transverse grooves or slots l2, 13 For conveniencethe broad term grooves is used throughout the specification and claims and as so used is to be understood as referring to grooves, slots, or depressions, Adjacent grooves of the series 12, 13 are oppositely inclined, and each pair of converging grooves l2, 13, in conjunction with one of the longi' tudinal grooves 11, results in thetormation oi a head or tongue 14, the top face of which is preferably in-the plane of the surface of strip 9. The heads thus produced in efi'ect constitute lugs or projections on the strip 9 adapted to be engaged by and to support the wires of the screen.

These supporting heads or projections are preferably provided upon each side of a strip 9 and, with the ribs 19, give the strip a general l-beam configuration. The series of inclined transverse grooves (12, 13) employed in defining the heads ll on one side are staggered with respect to the similar grooves (12, 13) in the opposite side of the strip, and the inner ends of all of the grooves of both series are preferably arranged to lie in a smgle longitudinal plane, approximately through the middle of the strip.

By this arrangement oi grooves the wirereceiving edge portion of the strip is formed on each side with dished portions or depressions inwardly of the heads alternating with elevations 13 extending to the edge of the strip between the heads, thus presenting a generally corrugated surface, The strands or lengths or reverse bends of the wires 6 and I 7, formed by looping the wires back and forth across the frame around oppositely disposed supporting heads or projections 14:, 1t, will lie in spaced parallel relation, all in the same plane, and will be retained in position by the heads 14,14 and the inclined faces of elevated portions 18, 18'. By supporting 'one wire e. g., wire 6) upon'heads M on one s1de of the strips 9, and the other wire (e. g., wire 7) upon heads 14 on the oppos1te side, the two looped wires are so arranged as to form two separate and similar grids superimposed to place the parallel lengths or runs of wire of the respective grids in alternating arrange.- ment in a common plane throughout the screen. The wire-supporting heads and grooves for the respective, wire grids are so arrangedwnd dimensioned that adjacent lengths or runs ofwire of opposite polarity will be sufliciently close together to prevent screen from any suitable source, preferably from the ordinary house lighting circuit, through a suitable transformer 15 to the 0pposite poles 16, 17, of which the wires 6 and 7 are respectively connected, the wires passing through apertures 19 in the strips 9 for this purpose.

The modified form of device illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 differs from the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 mainly with respect to the specific manner of forming the wire supporting heads or projections on the supporting strips 9, and the specific means for securing the latter inthe frame. The securing means, in this form of the invention, consists of tongues 3 struck out of the material of the side sections 2 of the frame, and adapted to be bent inwardly to engage the strips 9 and hold them against movement toward the center of the frame under the pull of the stretched wires. This form of securing means may be used where the frame sections 2 are of sheet metal or similar sheet material, and permits the employment of side frame sections 2 in plain channel form,

without flanges, and strips 9 of uniform cross-section, without the provision of a marginal rib such as is formed on the strips shown in Fig. 2.

The strips 9 shown in F igs. 4 and 5 are generally similar to the strip of Fig. 2, being provided with wire supporting means on each side of the strip, comprising staggered wire-supporting heads so formed and arranged that the Wires engaged upon all of the heads lie in the same plane.

In Fig. 4 the strip is preferably of fibre board or other suitable sheet material, and the wire-supporting heads are formed by cutting and bending the material of the sheet. The series of heads or projections 14a on one side of the strip arein the form of tongues struck up above the surface of the strip. The edge of the strip is serrated to I provide a series of alternately disposed heads and pairs of oppositely inclined grooves 12a, 13a forming inclined faces meeting at a point midway between adjacent heads 14?). The heads 14?) are preferably bent clownwardly to form projections. A wire (e. g., wire 7; looped over these heads 14?) is retained in the inner ends of the grooves behind opposite edges of each head, the inclined faces of the grooves adjacent the head aiding in retaining the Wire in position.

A wire of opposite polarity (e. g., wire 6) may be looped back and forth over the projections 14a on a pair of oppositely disposed strips 9. Heads or projections 14a and 14?) on opposite sides of the strip are staggered, as in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3', and all of the parallel lengths of wire suppprted thereby are in substantially the same p ane.

The wire-supporting strip 9 shown in Fig.

5 differs from the form of strip in Fig. 4 only in the use of pointed tongues or projections 140 instead of the rectangular tongues 14a and in the use of a plain groove 12?) instead of the pair of oppositely disposed grooves 12a of Fig. 2, for forming heads 14?).

The modified form of wire-supporting strip 9 illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 presents an arrangement of spaced heads 24, 24, respectively defined by grooves 22, 23 and grooves 22", 23' and elevated portions 28, 28 with oppositely-inclined faces interposed between adjacent pairs of heads on each side of the strip. This arrangement is closely similar to that embodied in the preferred form of strip shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In the modified form of Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, however, the longitudinal grooves or depressions employed in defining the heads are omitted, the heads being given sufiicient height by being extended beyond the surface of the strip. The strip is provided with a securing rib 20 similar to rib 10 (Fig. 2) and for a like purpose. The transverse inclined faces forming elevations 28, 28 are repeated throughout the length of strip 9 and preferably extend entirely across the body of the strip, those which lie between the heads 24, 24' terminating at the edge of the strip and the others being interrupted by the heads. By thus transversely corrugating the strip throughout its entire length and width between its marginal rib 20 and marginal heads 24, 24, the body or web of the strip is strengthened and may consequently be made relatively thin, the amount of material re quired being thereby substantially reduced. This saving of material is of considerable importance where the strips are made in quantity. For quantity production the molding of the strips 9, either in one piece or in sections 9, will be foundto present cer-' tain advantages, facilitating the manufacture of the device, reducing the amount of material and labor required, and lessening the cost of production. The form of wiresupporting strip shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9,, like that shown in Figs. .1, 2 and 3, is particularly adapted to be produced by the molding process.

The wire-supporting strips of the several forms disclosed herein, when of suitable length, are interchangeable. Any one of these forms may be made in relativcly'short unit lengths ('likescctions 9) and the. req uisite number of lengths of the same or different specific forms may be assemblcd to constitute the oppositely disposed strips in any screen.

I claim 1. In an electric insect destroyer, a frame including oppositely disposed insulating strips, each strip having projections upon opposlte faces thereof, and conducting wires of opposite polarity supported upon the projections on the respective sides of said strips.

2. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, oppositely disposed insulating strips in said frame, each strip having a row of projections upon each of the opposite sides thereof, and conducting wires supported upon said projections.

3. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, oppositely disposed insulating strips in said frame, each strip having a row of grooves in one face thereof, said grooves being arranged in pairs and the grooves of each pair being oppositely inclined to form a projection, and a conducting wire disposed in parallel bends between the said opposite strips with their bends engaged about said pro ections.

4. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, insulating strips positioned in spaced relation in said frame, each strip having a row of grooves in opposite surfaces thereof, the grooves in the respective surfaces being alternately disposed, the grooves in each surface being-arranged in pairs of converging grooves extending through the inner edge of the strip, and the, inner ends of all of the grooves in both surfaces of the strip being in substantially the same plane, and wires disposed in parallel reverse bends between said strips, with their bends engaged in the inner ends of said grooves.

5. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, oppositely-disposedstrips of insulating material in said frame, each strip being formed with alternately disposed transverse depressions and elevations forming a til series of longitudinallyspaced projections upon each side of said strip.

6. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer havinga rib at one longitudinal edge, a series of spaced projections along the opposite longitudinal edge, and an intervening web portion transversely corrugated throughout its length and width. I

7. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer said member having sides and edges and formed adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof with alternating depressions and elevations forming a series of longitudinal spaced projections upon each side of said member.

8. In an electric insect destroyer, a frame comprising channel side members, oppositely disposed insulating strips, each strip having along one edge a longitudinal rib engaged in the channel of a' side frame member and along the opposite edge a row of spaced projections, and wires supported on saidprojections.

9. An insulating wire-supporting member foban electric insect destroyer having adja-- cent one edge thereof alternating depressions and elevations forming a series of longltudinally spaced projections upon each side of said member, the projections upon one side of said member being staggered relative to the projections upon the opposite side thereof.

10. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer having a rib at one longitudinal edge,a series of spaced projections along the opposite longitudinal edge upon each side of said member, and an intervening web portion transversely corrugated throughout its length.

11. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer having adj acent. one edge thereof a series of longitudinally spaced projections upon each side of said member, the projections upon one side of said member being offset relative to the projections upon the opposite sidethereof.

upon opposite sides thereof, and the grooves of each pair being oppositely inclined, the end of each groove in one side of said member being midway between the ends of a pair of grooves in the opposite side thereof.

14. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect. destroyer, comprislng' a body having longitudinal surfaces upon opposite sides thereof, spaced apart bysaid body, a row of longitudinally spaced projectionson one side'of said stripextending beyond the-surface thereof, and a row of longitudinally spaced projections on the opposite side of said strip extending beyond the surface thereof. j

15. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer compris inga body having side and edge surfaces, and a rib adjacent one edge and extending beyond the surface of the body on each side thereof, said rib being interruptedto form a rov'x of spaced projections upon each of the opposite sides of the body.

16. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer comprising a body of general I-beam configuration, having'a rib on each longitudinal edge thereof, one of said ribs being provided'with a series of slots along each-longitudinal edge to form a row of spaced projections on.each side of said body.

17. -In an electric insect destroyer, a frame.

oppositely disposed insulating strips in said frame, each strip having a row of longitudinally spaced undercut heads on one face thereof, and a conducting wire extending between said strips and looped about said heads.

18. An insulating wire-supporting member for an'electric insect destroyer having faces on opposite sides thereof, and a series of spaced undercut projections on one ofsaidfaces.

19. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer having faces on opposite sides thereof, a series of spaced undercut projections on one of said faces, and a series of spaced undercut projections on the opposite face.

20. Anelectric'insect destroyer comprising a frame, two similar grids of wire supported on dielectric strips, forming a plurality of regularly spaced parallel wire members, the grids being so arranged that all wires fall in the same plane with alternate wires belonging to different grids and without conductive contact between the respective grids, means for supporting the said grids in the frame and maintaining their proper relative position, and means connecting the grids to the opposite poles of a source of electricity.

' 21. An electric insect destroyer, comprising a frame, two grids of parallel wire members so constructedand arranged as to form a compound grid with wire spacing equal to half the spacing of either grid individually, serrated dielectric strips supporting the Wire members and maintaining the respective grids from conductive contact, means for supporting the grids in the frame, and means connecting the respective grids to the opposite poles of a source of electricity.

22. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, dielectric strips positioned in spaced relation in said frame, each strip being pro- Vided with a series of longitudinally spaced projections upon each side thereof, and wires disposed in parallel reverse bends engaging and supported by said projections.

23. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, dielectric strips positioned in spaced oppositely disposed relation in said frame, each strip having a wire-supporting portion projecting inwardly of the frame towards the opposite strip, each strip having its wire-supporting portion formed with alternately disposed transverse depressions andelevati'ons forming a series of longitudinally spaced projections upon each side of said strip, and wires of opposite polarity looped or bent into parallel lengths or runs disposed between said strips in alternating arrangement, in a common plane, the loops or'bends engaging said ing supported thereby. v a 24. An insulating wire-supporting memprojections and beber for an electric insect destroyer having adjacent one edge thereof slots defining a row of longitudinally spaced wire-supporting heads, and inwardly from said row of heads provided with a row of longitudinally spaced wire-supporting projections staggered relative to the slots defining said heads.

25. An electric. insect destroyer comprising a frame, insulating strips positioned in spaced relation in said frame, each strip having slots adjacent one edge thereof defining a row of longitudinally spaced wire-supporting heads and provided with a row of longitudin ally spaced wire-supporting projections struck up from said strip inwardly from the edge thereof, and wires of opposite polarity disposed in parallel reverse bends in a common plane between said strips with or projections being disposed substantially in ahgnment.

28. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame,'oppositely disposed insulating strips in said frame, each strip having a series of slots therein arranged in pairs and the slots of each pair being oppositely inclined to form a tongue or projection, the tongues or projections defined by said slots being disposed in rows in spaced alternating relation.

29. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, oppositely disposed insulating strips in said frame, each strip having a series of slots therein arranged in pairs and the slots of each pair being oppositely inclined to form a tongue or projection, the tongues or projections defined by said slots being disposed in spaced alternating relation upon opposite surfaces of said strip.

30. An insulating wire-supporting memher for an electric insect destroyer having a series of slots extending inwardly from one longitudinal edge thereof, saidslots being arranged in converging pairs, each pair defining a tongue or projection, and the tongues or projections of the series being in spaced alignment.

31. An insulating:wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer comprising a strip having a series ofslots normal to its surface, said slots being arranged in pairs and disposed in converging relation at their 'inner ends to define wire-holding tonguesor projectionsa j 32. An insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer comprising a strip having a series'of-wire-retaining projections along one longitudinal edge upon each side thereof, said projections being defined by slots normal to the surfaces oi the strip, and said slots being arranged in pairs and disposed in converging relation at their inner ends to undercut said projections, the projections upon one surface of the strip being offset relative to the projections on the opposite surface thereof. 33. An electric insect strips in said frame, each strip having a series of projections upon opposite faces thereof, said projections being defined by converging slots.

34. An electric insect destroyer comprising a frame, oppositely disposed-insulating strips in said frame, each strip having a series of projections upon opposite faces thereof, said projections being defined by'slots normal to the face of the strip and arranged in pairs with their inner ends converging.

35. An insulating wire-supporting member for an'electric insect destroyer having a rib at one longitudinal edge, a series of spaced projections along the opposite longitudinal edge, and an intervening web portion having transverse ribs extending between adjacent projections, the portions of the web between said transverse llbS being depressed.

36.. An'insulating wire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer having. a. series of spaced projections along one longitudinal edge, and transverse ribs extending between adjacent rojections.

37 An insulatingwire-supporting member for an electric insect destroyer having a series of spaced projections upon each face along one longitudinal edge, and transverse ribs on each face extending between adjacent projections.

38. A wire supporting and insulating member for electric insect destroyers having a rib at one longitudinal edge and a series of spac 39. A' w re-supporting and insulatingslots extending from said longitudinal edge thro igh said rib and defining a series of aligned wire-supporting projections.

member for electric insect destroyers having a row of slots in one face thereof, said slots bein arranged in pairs and the slots of each pair ing oppositely inclined to form a proection and transverse ribs on said member extendmgbetween adjacent pairs of said projections.

destroyer comprising a frame, oppositely disposed insulating i WILLIAM M. .Fnos'rt 

